Blog - Brady Roofing

Looking into fixing or replacing your roof can be a daunting task. However, we work hard to make the process of requesting an estimate as painless as possible for you. Here’s a few tips:

How to Request a Free Estimate

The easiest way to get an estimate is to call into our office at 801-487-5151. However, we also are available via email (contact@bradyroofing.com). You can even fill out a free estimate request form on our website. Our secretary will gather your information, such as your full name, phone number and email address. All of your information is kept private; we will never sell or distribute your information. Once we have an idea of what you would like done, we will line you up with an estimator.

Meeting With an Estimator

Usually, the first thing we will do is send your number to our estimator. They will give you a call so we can set up a time to meet that works best for you. Most of the time, we try to meet up with you within the next few days. They would prefer for you to be at the home or building in question. We have a packet full of information and ideas that you can look through while our estimator measures your roof and takes pictures of problem areas.

Receiving an Estimate

Our estimators will analyze your individual needs and situation and provide you with a custom estimate. This can be done either at the jobsite or in our office, depending on the situation. We are very aware of our customers needs, and we hope to create the most positive experience for you possible, both short term and long term.

To do this, we seek to keep you in the loop about our different products and installation practices. It can be overwhelming to receive a handful of different prices and estimates full of roofing jargon. How can you know who is giving you the best deal? Which roof will last the longest? This is why we work to help you understand our basic practices. These practices include our unique ice shield installation procedure that help to prevent winter leaks, our ventilation analysis, and how we seal around chimneys and flashings, some of the most common problem areas.

One thing to keep in mind is that we do not guess on extensive damage, such as wood rot. Instead, we do a per unit assessment after the shingles are off. This way, if you do not have any wood that needs to be replaced on your roof, you do not need to pay any type of fee covering other people’s wood rot damage. Most of the time, if you do need wood replaced, it is just a small amount and is not a big deal.

If you still have more questions, check out our posts:

When we look at repairing or replacing your roof, we are thinking in terms of what will last 30-50 years down the road. We make recommendations, but keep the situation as low pressure as possible. We trust you as the customer to make the ultimate decision on what is best for you and your family or business.

Each job will vary based on your unique objectives. Are you looking for the highest quality roof possible? Do you need a roof that will help you to sell your home faster? Are you looking to do a short term fix while you save for a larger renovation? These are questions that are ultimately up to you, though we do hope to offer you the information you need to make these decisions.

One thing we like to say is “If this is my Mother’s roof, what would I recommend?” We wouldn’t want to overcharge our mother or leave her with a headache she would have to deal with down the road.

The best part about this job is the opportunity to install many different types of roofs for many different buildings. One of our recent jobsites, a pie pizzeria in South Salt Lake, had a curved portion of their roof that required metal radius roofing panels. Radius roofing panels are curved from one end of the panel to the other, to fit the shape and contour of the roof.

Installing flat metal panels seems self explanatory, but how are panels curved to fit a specific roof? We began by running a dark bronze 24-gauge pre-painted galvanized steel coil through a panel machine. Dark bronze is, incidentally, the most popular metal roofing color today.

An interesting part of this process is that the panels are 46 feet long! That’s longer than a school bus or even a 3 car garage. You can imagine the difficulty in handling these panels. It takes several men to control the panels as they run through the machine.

Once the panels are ran straight through the machine, we put them through another that does the curving. To curve the metal, we used NewTech ss150 as the profile. This gave us 20 inch wide panels with ribs at 1 ½” ribs.

The trickiest part of curving the panels is figuring the exact radius. For the average size roof this takes almost as long as running the panels. It is kind of a “trial and error” process. Once we have it figured correctly, we stack them, ready to install. We use a crane to lift them or hand load them (with lots of men) onto the roof. Both ends are hooked onto a D-style drip edge using concealed panel clips.

They are screwed down every 2 to 3 feet using these clips, which are not visible in the final roof. Aesthetics aside, this installation method will prevent leaks. Generally, with metal roofs, there are seams that are in areas where water will build up during storms. If the panels are not installed correctly, the water will come through the seams.

After securing the panels, we manually close the seam with a special tool. The final roof with have some waviness (i.e. oil canning) by the nature of the radius paneling and installation process. These waves mean that the roof is installed correctly. The waves should not be visible from the ground.

As you can see, these radius metal roof installations are quite the process. Because we are nerdy roofers, we think it is fun. Haha, dad, just seeing if you read to the end. The entire roof is designed and installed to fit the contour and size of the roof. An entire crew is necessary just to manufacture the panels, not to mention the crane and specialty tools used to install the final product. However, if you take a look at the finished roof, I’m sure you will agree, it is all worth it!

Attic ventilation provides year-round benefits to reduce heat buildup in the summer, reduce moisture buildup,and prevent ice dams in the winter. It is also helpful to have the proper ventilation in order to prolong the life of the shingles and building materials.

Different vent styles have different ventilation capacity. Turtle vents (exhaust vent) rely on conventional airflow. Power vents suck the air out of the attic. Intake vents (installed in the soffit/under-eave or at the roof’s bottom edge) are critical for new air to enter the attic.

The Four Most Common Exhaust Vents:

Turtle vents also known as Box Vents (near ridge)

The Turtle vent is installed over a hole cut out of the roof. Utilizing natural convection, they create an opening for the rising hot air and moisture to escape through. Turtle Vents are most effective when installed within a couple feet of the roof ridge to allow the maximum amount of heat and moisture to be released. Due to their reliance upon convectional air flow, numerous Turtle Vents are often required. The redeeming quality about Turtle vents is they don’t have any electrical or mechanical parts that break down.

Ridge vent

Ridge vent is one the most common on shingled residential buildings. Ridge vents is installed at the peak of a sloped roof which allows warm, humid air to escape through building’s attic. It is recommended to have 1 square foot of ventilation along the ridge for every 300 square feet of attic floor space.

Power vents forcibly exhaust heat or humidity from any attic. They work on a thermostat, which automatically turns the fan on when cooling is needed. Some models also have an extra feature called a humidistat that monitors the moisture level of the air. Power Vents can either be powered by electricity from the home’s power source, or by solar power.

A non-electric alternative to ventilation, the Turbine Vent uses Mother Nature – wind and air pressure to suck out stale attic air. They do this with a series of specially curved vanes that spin as the wind passes through them. This pulls hot, humid air from the attic. If your wind speeds are minimal of 5 mph, Turbine Vents provide a low-cost ventilation alternative. The only down side to Turbine Vents are the ball bearing can wear out making a squeaking noise as it turns.

If you have any questions about your ventilation system or would like to request a free estimate, feel free to give us a call 801-487-5151

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We are not only Gephardt Approved, we have a A+ rating on BBB.

We do Free Estimates for any job you may have. 801-487-5151, contact@bradyroofing.com

Asphalt Shingles are a common roofing material for a majority of U.S. homes. Each year, in the process of manufacturing, installing and eventually replacing shingles, approximately 11 million tons of recyclable shingles are removed from the roofs of homes and buildings and sent to the landfill.

Shingles can be diverted from the waste stream and transformed into asphalt pavement used for our streets and highways. The shingles from one average home can pave about 200 feet of a two lane highway.

Our landfills in Utah currently don’t recycle Asphalt Shingles. But there are a couple options if you would like to “Go Green”. Recycled Earth in Ogden,UT will take your shingles and recycle them with a minimal fee or you can post on a website such as KSL.com where people buy, trade or give away items related to construction, and another person may be able to use your old shingles for repair.

If your roof is in need of a repair or replacement, you can rest assured that Brady Roofing will make this process as pleasant as possible for you. We effectively schedule a dumpster to arrive at each of our jobsites to promptly haul away the shingles. We also keep the yard and surrounding area clean, free of trash and debris so there is minimal clean-up for you after the job is done.

Do you have any questions for us? Would you like to schedule a time for a free estimate? Contact us at 801-487-5151 or contact@bradyroofing.com

Brady Roofing is proud to announce that we are Gephart Approved! Use our handy tools below to compare us to other contractors you may know of, and to learn more about what it means to be recommended by one of the most selective and renowned companies in the state.

Have you been hearing any strange noises coming from your roof lately? Don’t worry too much, more than likely it’s the colder temperatures we are having that make the sounds more prominent. The wood on the roof contracts when it gets cold. In the winter, all exposed materials will eventually shrink as the temperature drops. In the spring, as the environment warms up, wood will gradually expand to it’s normal size.

Flat roofs are generally more noisy then pitched because the insulation is part of the system so there is no place for moisture to escape. No roof is sound-proof, especially if they aren’t well built or well maintained.

Membrane roofs expand with the heat in the summer and contract with cooler temperatures pulling on the fasteners. This can lead to snapping, cracking and popping sounds. These sounds are most common in buildings where the new roof has been installed over an older roof, causing the weight of the new roof pressing down on the already damaged roof.

There is a solution: The addition of expansion joints can make a big difference and be much, much cheaper than tearing down the roof and rebuilding a new one.

Any material whether new or old can shift regularly with changes in temperature and air pressure. If the noises become unbearable, then getting a new roof may be last resort to prevent further noise. Our employees are certified and trained to install a variety of material on flat roofs. We have chosen to install only the most durable products which include:

All in all, unless you have a family of raccoon’s nesting on the top of your roof making clunking noises from the chimney (true story), then the only way to really diagnose the problem is to contact us for afree estimateand consultation from Brady Roofing. 801-487-5151 We install both flat and pitched roofs.

Purchasing a new roof is a big investment. If you are like many homeowners, you avoid it as long as possible until you notice brown spots from the inside of your house or you have more granules in your gutters then you do on your roof.

Asphalt roofing didn’t have many options in the past. Shingles were made in a three-tab style, which is a flat style. Today, the vast majority are architectural shingles, which are dimensional shingles. Some shingles may cost less, but do they have the overall value as far as durability?

Three-tab and Architectural shingles are two types of asphalt shingles that are common throughout the U.S. and Canada. Three-tab shingles are the least expensive shingle. Architectural shingles are thicker and sturdier and are considered a high-quality, designer roofing product.

When it comes down to choosing the best roofing material, you basically get what you pay for. The three-tab shingles are cheaper upfront, but over the course of your roofs lifetime, architectural shingles can cost less. Three- tab shingles are also decreasing in popularity.

Difference Between 3-Tab Shingles and Architectural Shingles

First, we will start off with the 3 tab shingles, the three-tab shingles are distinguished by cutouts/tabs made along their long lower edge, they have only one shingle tab size and shape. They are flat, made up of less material, so they weigh less than the architectural shingles. Because of this, the three-tab shingle roofs need to be replaced sooner, due to problems with the wind blowing them off, costing you $300 or more for each repair.

In addition to the three-tab shingles there is a type of higher end shingle called Architectural shingles; this shingle is also known as dimensional or laminate style shingles. Architectural shingles have a rich looking appearance compared to a row pattern that the 3-tab’s represent. Architectural shingles have a cedar shake texture appearance that give a more dramatic look to a home and can hide some imperfections in the roof deck or structure due to their textured look made with a thicker layer of a more refined type of asphalt. Many homeowners and builders prefer to use them today due to this benefit alone. Architectural shingles are nearly twice as thick as the three-tab shingles. Since there are no tabs, they are less likely to be lifted up by the wind.

What are the Benefits?

One advantage the three-tab shingles have over the Architectural shingles is they have a lightweight design. The three-tab shingles can withstand winds up to 60 mph and have a warranty of 15-25 years. They are just slightly cheaper upfront than the Architectural Shingles. We at Brady Roofing don’t actually install the three-tab shingles unless you are trying to match an existing roof. The reason for this is simply because the savings with 3-tabs on an average size house is only about $100 to $200. But the maintenance when a shingle blows off is a considerable expense. When time to shell out money for repairs, the initial savings is not even remotely a consolation!

Architectural shingles are easier to install and can withstand winds up to 130 mph. They have a lifetime warranty through Certainteed (the manufacturer). When you consider purchasing the architectural shingles, you are extending the life of your roof for a very long time (with proper maintenance) and adding more bang for your buck. You can easily almost double your roof lifespan with the architectural shingle.

There are, of course, even thicker style asphalt shingles. These are the Designer Shingles which vary greatly in size, style and thickness. The price also increases due to the cost of material as well as the time it takes to install. There is more information about these asphalt designer shingles at bradyroofing.com.

For more information on the individual shingles we carry, select a shingle below:

Conclusion

Overall architectural shingles are a better product that performs better and is more aesthetically appealing.

The main reasons why 3-tab shingles are still available for purchase is because they cost less, and there are many roofs that already have 3 tab shingles on them that require repairs with the same type of shingle.

All in all, it doesn’t matter how good the shingles are if they aren’t installed properly. The last thing you want is to spend money for something that will blow off because of poor installation. With our experts at Brady Roofing we will make sure the work is done right the first time. Our guys are paid by the hour, not piece rate so they will spend the extra time as needed on your roof. This coupled with the fact they have been trained well and are certified by the manufacturer gives us the ability to provide you, the customer, with a beautiful long lasting roof.

We are so lucky to have Stewart Gates on our team as an estimator. If you ask anyone in the roofing business in Salt Lake City who the top estimator is, they will point straight to him.

Stewart started roofing in 1980, working for a company called Hamilton Roofing. He worked on the roofs as a laborer for 3 years. He then became a Journeyman Roofer in 1983. A year later, he became a foreman for that same company, supervising shingle roofs and flat roofs.

In 1992, he changed companies and began working for American Roofing, where he spent the next 10 years working as a foreman doing shingle roofs and flat roofs.

He also has 3 years experience of running his own roofing company, All Types Roofing, which he managed for 3 years.

American Roofing recruited him back as a salesman to do small commercial and residential sales.

In the spring of 2014, Stewart took a sales position at our company, Brady Roofing.

Stewart has experience in the following roofing applications:

All kinds of shingles including wood, tile and asphalt architectural shingles.

Built up roof systems with hot asphalt, including all types of tapered insulation systems.

Single ply roof systems, TPO, and PVC membranes.

Standing seam roofing systems.

Experience in high altitude areas like Alta, the rest of the resorts in the canyons and in the Park City area.

While it may seem counterintuitive, even well-insulated attic spaces require air circulation, which means pulling air from outside the home and allowing it to push through the attic to an exit point. Baffles provide a space for air to flow through certain parts of the attic. Baffles are also called wind baffles, venting chutes, rafter vents or insulation baffles. An attic needs to be insulated to keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. When you have insulation without ventilation, humidity and moisture can build up in the top of your home causing mold and decay.

Why baffles are important

Baffles are used to maintain an air space between intake vents and exhaust vents under the roof system. Ice dams are formed by heat escaping through the roof and water from melted snow freezing as it passes the insulation at the eave. To reduce this problem it is necessary to push the insulation as far into the eave space as possible and the baffles allow this to happen without blocking the vents.

The eave air intake vents are for the purpose of helping excess moisture to escape from the attic as it exits at the ridge vent. The amount of airflow through the eave vents is unlikely to be enough to have a substantial effect on the temperature of the roof, so put the baffles where they will allow the most air movement.

Check to see if your house has eave vents, if it does then you should install baffles before insulating. Baffles ensure that insulation doesn’t block the vents, because attic ventilation is very important in reducing heat and moisture build up. To properly ventilate an attic, 50% of the ventilation should come from low on the roof (generally the soffits) and 50% from high on the roof line (generally the ridge) where the hot air can escape the roof.

Calculating your Ventilation

Note that it is important to check your local building code requirements to confirm the specified ratio for ventilation. There is a general rule that says there should be 1sq ft of ventilation for every 300 sq ft of attic floor space. For example, a 1600 ft² area would require 5.33 ft² or 768 sq in of ventilation, (1600/300*144). Half or 384 in² needs to come from low on the roof and 384 in² coming from high on the roof. It is OK to have more intake (low on the roof) than exhaust (high on the roof) BUT, it is not good to have more exhaust than intake.

Think about what happens when you try to ventilate a space by opening a window. If you open just one window, not much happens. If you open a second window across the room, you get a breeze. This same principle applies to the attic. Even adding more vents higher in the attic wouldn’t balance the airflow, because the roof won’t vent any more air than is introduced by the low vents.

Installing Baffle Insulation

The great thing about installing attic baffles is that they have a big impact on the effectiveness of your insulation and can be done without any specialized contractor tools. They can be installed with a few staples. I found this great video by Mr. Hardware installing attic baffles.

It’s not expensive, it is very effective, and did I say cheap! If you want to install the baffles yourself you can purchase them from Home Depot 70 pieces for $86.15. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of installing them yourself we recommend a really good company who will install them for you: Hansen/All Seasons Insulation. Be sure to check your baffles yearly for damage, replacing any damaged baffles as you find them. You can extend your roof’s life for many years with proper ventilation.

Cardboard vs. Foam Attic Baffles

The two most common attic baffles are made of cardboard or foam. They are manufactured to fit either 16 inch or 24 inch on center construction. Cardboard baffles are less durable but can be bent and cut to cover the end of the eave. This does a passable job of directing wind up the baffle and nothing to seal the top of the drywall. Foam baffles are more durable but are a straight section that cannot be bent or cut to fit easily. If you have any questions or would like to request a free roofing estimate feel free to call us 801-487-5151 between the hours of 8-5 M-F or email us contactbradyroofing@gmail.com.